Manchester Food And Drink Festival Winners 2012

The winners this year. Do you agree?

Published on October 8th 2012.

THESE are the winners this year at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival.

There were 15 categories and a judging process overseen by a panel of independent judges.

Festival Director Siobhan Hanley comments: “The standard of the food and drink industry in Manchester continues to reach new heights. With new venues opening, and examples of innovation being seen all over the region, it has been a real delight for our judging team to review the best of the best."

What do you think?

No 63 Degrees.

No Salvi's.

No Jamie's Italian?

Let the debate begin, but just one thing...

These are NOT Manchester Confidential's awards but Manchester Food and Drink Festival's awards, so if you don't agree with them, it's not down to us.

Fair enough shouts I think for most of them. It's always nice when the awards go to some places a little different. Do we know what David Fox, Tampopo has done to win the outstanding achievement award?

Never heard such nonsense. Food is always good, service is usually bang on and Rob is a lovely bloke. Also decent Ale selection. Pretentious it certainly isn't

Jonathan Schofield - editorOctober 9th 2012.

Sometimes the comments astound me on here. Graeme, I took seventeen Swiss architects from Zurich for a meal at lunchtime and they were blown away by the Mark Addy food. It's great to get a bit of perspective isn't it? A couple of months ago it was a French group from Lyons and they adored it too. If you've had a bad meal there, tell the staff and they'll address the problem I'm sure. I have nothing but respect for the quality of food and its Lancastrian roots at the Mark Addy.

Surely The Mark Addy is one of the least pretentious places in Manchester!!!!!!!!!Nowt stranger than folk

AnonymousOctober 9th 2012.

I had a dreadful meal there, emailed them some very polite and constructive feedback and they didn't even bother to reply.

Edward CrossOctober 9th 2012.

Took a Chilean producer to dine at Damson, Heathcotes Brasserie & Nutters last week and he was blown away by the quality & delicacy of the food.So well done to Nutter for his award! Can't understand why Simon at Damson has never received an award for his cooking - Quite Baffling!!

AnonymousOctober 9th 2012.

They burnt the toad in the hole. They knew it was burnt, saw it was burnt, and still sent it out. Inexcusable.

Edward - maybe something to do with the kitchen getting a zero rating for hygiene?

Went to Almost Famous a couple of months back and im still telling my friends about it and my husband is still trying to re-create the food at home. Unique, modern simple a totaly brilliant food and drink experience.

Really thrilled for bakerie, well done - lovely place. (and i dont want to start a debate or get loads of abuse about this but work have just booked our christmas meal there; we're a pretty diverse bunch diet wise and i'm delighted because i can get a proper, vegan three course meal with a dessert and not just fruit salad. what a great thing to be inclusive. Tampopo are great at that too)

agree with the comment about Bakerie - VERY disappointing bread for a "Bakerie" when I went. Much MUCH MUCH better is the AMAZING bread from trove in levy. Delicious smoked mackerel and scrambled eggs with their sourdough toast too. Glad to see they won an award too.

Trove are a very amatuer operation currently, the jury is very much out in my opinion. Gordo was right when he tweeted a few weeks back that they need another two years yet with their bread baking to get it right.

Hero

Swiss JamesOctober 9th 2012.

It seems churlish to argue about PSBH as pub of the year- the range of brews in there is incredible and it raises the bar for the whole city. Nevertheless I walk past it regularly, to go to other places with a lower markup on booze, and a warm atmosphere where you can hear what the people sat next to you are saying.

Aumbry is amazing. Been there several times and the cooking is superb. Least they are trying instead of being a bit complacent like other places. And to even mention Jamie's Italian is ridiculous, its about 1% better than Bella Italia.

Shame Coffee Fix in Gatley missed out on winning Best Coffee Bar. I believe they were awarded some thing from the Manchester food and drinks folks?Manchester city centre still needs more independent coffee shops.

Why take the shine off ntp's win? I visit both & they're both good, however, ntp were the 1st to introduce flat whites to Manc, bring good espresso (a signature blend) & good roasters, 1st to introduce pourover filters, aeropress, syphon coffee - not to mention a cask ale collaboration with a local brewer...Wayne & Jane & their staff work very hard & deserve some recognition for their hard work. Let them enjoy their win!

The public persona of the owner definetly annoys Northerners,a bit like Ken and Boris do.But I don't think it the reality and his restaurant is fine.He could have opened that restaurant with a lot less attention to restoring the space,but he clearly cared enough to spend the time and money to get it right.Plus as Manchester becomes more of an attractive city,it's bound to attract more investment by southerners and more of them to move here.I think that's great,instead of people only moving down to London,they are starting to move here.

Jonathan Schofield - editorOctober 15th 2012.

David, eh? Why such undiluted, vein-bulging anger. Jamies' is fine. Go off menu - I've had three good specials there. And also the company has brought back to life a fine building and made Manchester more tourist pound, investment friendly.